Starting All Over Again
by Beevle
Summary: Two years after Eternity Code. Holly is just starting to relax, Mulch is getting restless, and Artemis, up to his old plotting, gets a visit from an old friend. My first fanfic, please R&R!
1. Old Friends, New Plots

  
This is my first fanfic, so I'd really like you to review. If you have any tips, I'd be glad to have them. I hope you enjoy!  
Disclaimer: The diary entry, the note to Mulch, and all of the characters belong to Eoin Colfer.  
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Message from Artemis to Mulch:

"_I have not finished with you yet, Mulch Diggums. On your return, tell your lawyer to check the date on the original warrant for your cave. When you are released keep your nose clean for a couple of years. Then bring the medallion to me. Together we will be unstoppable. _

_Your friend and benefactor,_

_Artemis Fowl 2"_

Part of the entry in the diary of Artemis Fowl:

"_I will find whoever planted those lenses and they will pay for their presumption. And once I am rid of this nuisance, my plans will proceed unhindered. I shall unleash a crime wave the likes of which has never been seen. The world will remember the name of Artemis Fowl."_

Two and a half years later...

**Haven City**

Holly Short sighed and leaned back in her chair in thought. She seemed to be able to do a lot of thinking, lately. It was hard to believe that Root had only turned purple over something she had done, oh, maybe twelve times in the last two months or so. It seemed that, with Artemis forgetting he ever had anything to do with them, Holly got into a lot less trouble. Only the occasional extremely stupid troll. She wondered what Artemis was up to. He didn't seem too bad in the end there. He almost seemed, well, _human._

Holly shook her head and frowned. Who cared what Artemis Fowl was doing? He was out of her--out of all of the People's—lives, for good. He was probably out scheming something else...planning to take someone else's fortune. Holly shrugged, and tried to think about something else. But it still seemed too easy. Ever since Artemis had kidnapped her, he seemed to be determined not to give up. Why would a little thing like a mind-wipe stop him now? He did seem sincere before the mind wipe, but the commander himself had said that there was a possibility, however small, that he could loose some of the lessons he had learned while dealing with the People.

Also, somehow their good friend Mulch had come up with a loophole. He had slipped from Root's fingers once again, and, much to Root's avid anger, avoided what probably would have been a life sentence in the LEP Central prison, with a bunch of goblins breathing fire down his neck. Holly had a feeling that Artemis had a bit to do with that.

She decided to try and forget about him and concentrate on her job.

**Underground**

Mulch Diggums also made a decision. He was born to live underground, as he was now. He had been for the past couple years. Mulch grinned. The Fowl boy had saved his life, and, even worse, possibly being imprisoned once again, for the rest of his life, with those disgusting goblins. He had been satisfied at first just to live where he felt at home, but now...

Now, he wasn't satisfied with this simple way of life. Not when he could do much better.

He had only had to do a few months, until his lawyer had taken Mulch's advice, and checked the warrant, and gotten him the heck out of there. He had thrown it in Root's face, and, consequently, everyone else's, too. So then he came here, to live for a while while things calmed down.

He had been patient for two years.

Now what he wanted was to take up Fowl on his offer. He would join forces, and they would be _unstoppable_. Unstoppable, he thought with relish. With all Artemis had accomplished, it wasn't hard to believe.

He would leave at once, he decided.

**Fowl Manor**

Artemis Fowl was just sitting down to his computer when someone knocked on his door. For the past few years, with both his parents alive and thriving, Artemis had tried his best to stay out of trouble. Or make it appear as if he was.

"What is it?" Artemis asked, annoyed. They should know better than to bother him when he was planning something. And this was something vital to his search.

"You have a visitor," It was Juliet, he realized with some surprise. She was supposed to be here visiting her brother. She had joined wrestling about the time Artemis had started his search, and had won many times. Since her arrival a few days ago, he realized that he became quite tongue-tied when she was around. It was a new sensation for Artemis, to be sure. Artemis was about to tell her to banish the visitor, when she went on. "He's quite peculiar. He reminds me of one of my opponents; he was a very short man who didn't seem to know much about fashion. But he did know about wrestling. It took me a whole fifteen seconds to beat him! He had this sort of growl...."

Artemis sighed.

"Anyway, he said he has some very urgent business to discuss with you." She finished.

Artemis had heard this one before. Businessmen usually e-mailed him or called him to make a meeting, though. Why was Juliet bothering him with this one? It must be important. Peculiar, eh?

"You think I should invite him in?" Artemis asked, frowning slightly.

There was a pause from outside the door. Then Juliet said, rather hesitantly, "I think this one is...different."

"Very well," Artemis said reluctantly. But he trusted Juliet's judgment. "Show him in."

Before he came near this man, however, he wanted to take a look at him. He trusted Juliet, yes, but only to a degree. A few clicks later on his keyboard, and a picture showed up. A camera in one of the rooms showed a very short man, with a broad jaw, something small and round in his hand. Something flickered in Artemis's mind. He frowned, but couldn't bring back the feeling.

Artemis straightened, and stood. He would show this man what happened when you come to Fowl Manor uninvited. He walked down some stairs and down a few hallways, where Butler waited outside a door, an odd look on his face. Artemis gave him a questioning look, which Butler replied with a shrug and pushed open the door.

Artemis took a deep breath and walked in. The man turned and grinned impressively, letting Artemis view a set of large and imposing teeth.

"Hey Arty! Long time, no see!"


	2. Remembering

Chapter Two

"What? No hug and kiss?" the man snickered unattractively.

Artemis puffed his chest out. In two in a half years, he had grown much taller, but was still his thin and pale self. He did have a few fans before he left boarding school. But that was one thing he didn't understand. Females are so different than males, he realized. You don't threaten them to get them to do what you want. He wished there was someone who he could trust on the subject, someone who wouldn't laugh at his questions. He was humiliated every time he thought of the time he casually asked his mother. Oh well. That was something he could think about later. Now, with his parents on their little vacation, he could deal with things more his way.

"Who are you and why are you here?" said Artemis directly. He could have been much more subtle; after all, he had convinced his mother to let him come home from boarding school, and made her believe it was all her own idea in the first place. He was very convincing. He just didn't feel like being convincing today. He was on the verge of discovery, and he was loosing precious time.

"Mulch Diggums, at your service." Mulch said, bowing mockingly. "As to why I'm here, well, you'll see soon enough." With a flourish, or what he probably thought was one, Mulch brought out what Artemis had seen on his security camera.

He leaned forward, and took it. It appeared to be some sort of a coin, though none Artemis remembered seeing. It had a hole in the middle.

"What is it?" Artemis asked suspiciously.

"Oh, come now," Mulch sneered. "The infamous Artemis Fowl doesn't know a medallion when he sees one?"

Artemis's expression didn't change, but there seemed to be a small tinge on his pale cheeks. He looked even more closely at the medallion.

"It seems to be a...a disc of some sort." He mused.

"That, too." Mulch amended.

"So? Why do you think I would want it?" Artemis asked.

Mulch rolled his eyes. It would actually be a bit frightening if Artemis had cared.

"It has some information that might, let's say, _benefit_ you." Said Mulch.

Artemis appeared to be thinking for a few moments, after which he abruptly strode to the door. "Are you coming, Mulch Diggums?"  
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A little time later, Artemis sat at his computer, and for a couple minutes, brought up a few programs to help him break the encryption he assumed was on the diskette. After all, it was of high quality, and had obviously been made by a master.

Then, something surprising happened. Artemis realized he recognized the code. He typed speedily. Images popped onto the screen, and for once in his life it took Artemis a second to register them.

_Unbelievably amazing, _Was his first thought. Not disbelief, because when had that gotten him anywhere?

More images appeared, along with words.

Then, with a shuddering force that caused Artemis to gasp, memories that lasted at least three years poured into his mind in the space of 5 seconds. He had time just enough for one more thought, _So that's where the lenses came from._

Then Artemis Fowl slumped to the ground.


End file.
